Redefining Parameters
by escapewithstories
Summary: Sharon and Andy embrace the new found freedoms that come with having an empty nest.


The idea for this came about when IReadAndWriteSometimes and I were discussing her latest one-shot (which I urge you to go read if you haven't yet). A random comment turned into this fluffy silliness.

For those of you who are following and have asked about our collaborative story The Same, Yet Different, I promise we are still working on getting through the chapters for season 2, so please don't give up on us :)

A HUGE thank you to my partner in crime for being the best beta by always pointing out and laughing at my many mistakes. Any remaining ones are mine and mine alone.

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REDEFINING PARAMETERS

Sharon efficiently moved about the kitchen as she gathered bowls and utensils for their simple breakfast of sliced fruit, and placed tea bags in the empty mugs that waited for the water in the kettle to heat. She had left Andy in their bed, grumbling about it being too damn early to get up despite the fact that they had slept in almost two hours later than usual. They had spent the entire previous day helping Rusty move into his first apartment, and it had been exhausting to say the least. The day, and the few preceding it, had been so busy that she hadn't really had time to process that her youngest had finally flown the coop and no longer lived with her. Sure, after he first informed her he was looking for a place of his own, she had thought about his eventual departure in the months leading up to it, but she hadn't considered how she felt now that it had come and gone. After she got both of her oldest settled into their new homes in their new cities, she had the plane ride home to contemplate how her life was changing in their absence. Standing in her kitchen preparing breakfast the following morning was the first time she allowed herself to consider the changes that were coming with Rusty's departure.

As she waited for their tea to steep, Sharon pondered about how thus far, not much had changed. Despite getting a later start than usual, there were several hours left in the morning, and she and Andy were still having their usual breakfast. Not even the absence of her son was new. Once he began his internship with Andrea, Rusty's schedule became rather hectic and when he started law school a short time later, it had only gotten worse. It wasn't uncommon for him to be ready and out the door before she and Andy had even roused from bed. In the last year, they began setting aside time in both of their schedules each week to have at least one meal together lasting a minimum of one hour, just so they could have more than a rushed conversation as one or both of them were passing through the condo. Yesterday, just before leaving Rusty to unpack the few remaining boxes he had, they did just that, and made plans to meet up for dinner sometime in the upcoming days. So far, it seemed her life was continuing on in its usual routine. She had some of her routine to fall back on when her first two had left for university, but taking into account they were more than a drive across town away, the feeling of solitude had been much more prominent then, especially after Ricky had left for college.

The faint clicking noise of their bedroom door being opened, followed by the shuffling of Andy's feet walking down the hall, drew her attention from where she had been absentmindedly stirring honey into her tea. Placing the spoon into the mostly empty sink, she picked up the mugs to carry them over to the dining table. She came to an abrupt halt halfway to her destination when Andy stepped into her view.

He stopped on the threshold between the living and dining rooms, with his hands propped on his hips and quite possibly the biggest shit-eating grin she had ever seen on his face. Her eyes dropped from his smiling mouth and scanned over his naked chest and torso, coming to a brief pause at the small little pooch of his stomach that she secretly adored but he hated, before moving past his boxer clad waist to his bare feet where his toes were flexing and unflexing into the rug. Her eyes flickered back up to his boxers and she allowed a small smile to spread across her lips when she took note of which ones they were. They were black with red kissy-lips dotted all over them and he had first worn them on their wedding night, stating that she wasn't the only one who had come prepared with sexy lingerie.

Sharon finally returned her gaze to Andy's still grinning one and with barely suppressed amusement said, "I distinctly remember you wearing pajamas when I got out of bed."

"I took them off," Andy responded lightly with a little bounce on his toes and a small flap of his hands at his thighs.

"I can see that." Sharon shook her head at his giddiness and continued her walk to the table. Once she placed the mugs down at their respective places, she turned to Andy with an upturned brow. "Any particular reason why?"

"Because now I can freely walk around the condo in whatever I please," Andy stretched one arm above his head while using the other to scratch his stomach, "and I won't have to listen to anyone whining about my state of undress."

"And what makes you think," Sharon flicked a hand out in that casual manner of hers before clasping it with the other at her front, "I don't have any objections?"

Andy looked mildly affronted for a beat, before narrowing his eyes. "Keep it up," he stalked towards her in an almost predatory manner, backing her into the table and trapping her there between his arms, "and I'll lose the boxers, too."

"Hmm," Sharon hummed as her tongue slipped out and wet her bottom lip. She rested her palms against his stomach, but when he sucked it in, she slid them up to drape over his shoulders. She tweaked one of his nipples along the way and smiled at the slight hiss she received in response. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

Andy's smirk was positively wolfish. "It's a guarantee."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sharon responded on a light giggle as her hands shifted to grip the back of his head in order to pull it down and bring his lips to hers for a brief kiss.

Andy wasn't ready to let go of her that quickly though so his hands snuck around her waist to pull her body flush against his. He dipped his head lower when she tried to lean away and deepened their kiss. She easily responded and melted into his embrace, deciding it wouldn't hurt to take advantage of the extra affection he was intent on giving her this morning.

"I can also do this," he nosed her hair to the side and placed a light suckling kiss to the sensitive skin below her ear, "and not worry about _scarring someone for life_." Andy continued the path down her neck until he reached the juncture between it and her shoulder, where he bit down just a tad bit harder before soothing it over with his tongue.

Sharon moaned quietly in his ear before responding with a breathy, "Rusty could be a bit overly dramatic." She ran her nails down his back then immediately up again before once again resting her hands on the back of his head and pushing him closer, urging him to continue.

Andy chuckled in agreement against her flesh, and eagerly complied with her wordless demand. He brought one hand up and using a single finger, slid her robe off her shoulder to give himself access to the skin of her collarbone. He spent ample time lavishing it with his tongue and lips, before working his way back up her neck and then to her jaw. He was making his way around to her other side, when she suddenly grabbed each of his cheeks to pull his face up level with hers and smashed her lips against his, taking over the kiss.

When they eventually parted, keeping her in his embrace, Andy took a small step back to look at her. She watched as his eyes scanned her face and how his smile widened when she felt her cheeks flush further from his attentions. His gaze dropped to where her chest was still slightly heaving, then over to where her shoulder was now bare except for the small strap of her nightgown.

"You know, it's not necessary for you to cover up with this." Andy hooked his fingers underneath the other side of her robe and slid it down her arm so that it was now hanging off both shoulders. "I sure as hell won't mind you going without it."

It wasn't too often that she ventured out of the bedroom in only her nightgown and robe. Typically only when she found herself restless in the middle of the night or early in the morning when she wanted to get a jumpstart on the coffee. Such was the case even before Rusty had moved in for she had always liked to be dressed and ready for the day as quickly as possible. When she did find herself living with a teenager again, out of deference for his sanity and her own sense of self-preservation, the moments were even fewer and farther in between, and she always made sure she had a robe to cover herself.

When she and Andy started staying the night at each other's homes, she quickly learned that he was never in any hurry to get dressed and didn't mind one bit lounging in his bathrobe for most of the morning if he had nowhere to be. The more time they spent together, and certainly after he moved in, she found that his lazy morning habits seemed to be rubbing off on her. However, there had always been a teenage boy living in the house, therefore she had never entertained the idea of walking around in just her thin nightgown. But now...

Andy still had ahold of the fabric so Sharon straightened her arms at her sides to allow the garment to fall away. He was able to catch it before it fell to the ground, and he draped it over the back of one of the chairs. She appreciated his thoughtfulness and that he knew she wouldn't want it to be discarded carelessly onto the floor. Before she could thank him, he was ducking his head to place a single, gentle kiss against her breastbone. The action made her weak in the knees and she needed to grab onto his biceps for support to keep herself upright. It was such a simple gesture, and despite his previous ministrations and the implications of his words just moments before, she knew his intention was not to arouse, but to simply...cherish. Still, it had that effect on her.

When Andy straightened back to his full height he gave her a complete once over, but his eyes returned to linger on the thin material covering her chest, and he groaned in satisfaction. "Never put that thing on again."

Sharon shook her head and her eyes shifted towards the ceiling, but a bright smile covered her face. "We'll see," she said simply, dropping her hands to his hips. She would love to continue to engage in their playful banter and teasing, but they had errands to take care of and she preferred the idea of having it all done sooner so they could have an evening free together. "Our tea's getting cold and I'm hungry." She pulled at the elastic band of his boxers and let it snap back against his stomach, smiling when he jumped at the sharp contact. "Will you grab our bowls?"

Andy's bottom lip jutted out in a pout, bummed that she was pressing pause on their fun, but he acquiesced all the same. "Sure thing." He gave her one more quick kiss when she tilted her head up in request, then moved towards the kitchen.

It didn't take them long to eat their breakfast, and the cleanup took even less time since they did it together. Andy waited until she closed the dishwasher with her hip, then lightly grasped her shoulders and tugged her backwards so that her back was tucked against his chest. He dropped his head to her shoulder so that when he spoke his lips lightly feathered against her ear.

"What do you say," he sucked the lobe into his mouth and nibbled on it softly before releasing it again, "we take a shower together?"

"I would say," she mimicked his conspiratorial tone, "we took one last night."

"Yeah, but not together." Even in his deep gravelly voice it sounded as though he was whining.

She had practically shoved him into the bathroom when they got home, firmly stating that she didn't want his sweaty, dirty body anywhere near their clean bed sheets or couch. While he washed up, she had started on dinner for them, then traded with him when he was done. It was something they did often in order to save on time. The offer of a combined shower was more than enticing even if she had just been wanting to get a jumpstart on their day and she was more than inclined to agree to it. She wasn't willing to let him in on that decision quite yet though; she wanted him to wheedle just a little bit more.

Sharon hummed in a way that she knew he would interpret as an, 'I don't know.'

One of Andy's arms wrapped around her upper arms and chest, hugging her tighter to him. "Please?" he drew out the word as he begged. "We hardly ever get to take one together."

That was true, they didn't often shower together. Without him saying it, she knew he was thinking that with Rusty gone, it was another thing they could do without worrying about his reaction. One of the first times Andy had spent the night at the condo they had shared her shower simply to save time before work; there was nothing even remotely sexual about it. When they sat down at the breakfast table that morning, her son had looked at them with disgust before averting his eyes elsewhere, and almost refused to look at them when they were together for a solid week afterward. She had chalked it up to typical child aversion to being reminded his mother had some semblance of a sex life. Andy seemed to have taken it personally, or simply wanted to avoid such an encounter again, because he would avoid joining her unless he was absolutely certain Rusty wasn't going to be home. They didn't always allow Rusty's opinions to set the parameters of their relationship, but they were definitely more restrained in their interactions when he was around; much like most parents are with their kids. When Rusty started spending more time away from home, they had already fallen into the established routine of separate showers and didn't really even think about changing it. Now, however, it seemed Andy was keen on fixing that. She could definitely understand his excitement about having those limitations lifted.

Sharon could feel the anticipatory tension in his body as he waited for her answer. Toying with the gold chain at his wrist, she pretended to give his request serious consideration. When an impatient huff reached her ears, she pressed her lips into a thin line to contain the smile that threatened to break through. Shrugging her shoulders the best she could with his arm still weighing them down, she again put him off. "I don't want my hair to get wet and have to blow-dry it again."

"So put it in a clip," he said obviously. As though to demonstrate, he used both of his hands to gather the hair from around her neck, then he twisted it around a single finger, drawing it up the back of her head. "I love it when you wear your hair up." He gave the newly exposed skin of her neck a kiss before reluctantly releasing her hair and letting it fall around her neck and shoulders again.

"We have a lot to do today," she began, although it wasn't exactly true. Grocery shopping was really the only thing that _needed_ to be done, the rest could wait if necessary. "If we keep this up, we'll never get out of here."

"I promise to behave," Andy said sincerely, but then two of his fingers pulled the fabric away from her chest so he could look directly down her front. A garbled noise reverberated from his throat right before he added, "Mostly."

One of Sharon's snort laughs escaped her. "It's that 'mostly' which concerns me."

"Come on, it will be great." Andy began massaging the muscles of her shoulders, prompting her head to fall forward and an involuntary moan to pass her lips. "I'll wash your back," his palms skimmed down to her backside, giving it a little caress before moving on to her thighs, "and I'll wash your legs." He began bunching up the cloth of her gown, inching it up ever so slowly until he encountered smooth skin. "I'll definitely pay special attention to your legs," he said on a sigh as his hands drifted inward on her thighs.

"Okay." Sharon's response was mostly breath and her body had fully collapsed into his.

"Yeah?" Andy seemed a bit surprised. Even though he was fairly confident in his persuading abilities, he expected it to take more than this.

"Yeah." She bit down on her bottom lip when his hands skirted up to her hips to give them a less than gentle squeeze.

Before she could even think about objecting, Andy pulled her nightgown the rest of the way up and off her body, leaving her in just her underwear. He dangled it out in front of her until she came to her senses enough to grab it from him and clutched it to her bare chest.

"I'll go start the water." He kissed the back of her head and took off at almost a run out of the kitchen.

When Sharon caught up with him, she found him not at the shower, but sitting on the edge of the tub, a hand under the running water testing the temperature. "That looks like you're preparing a bath and not the shower we discussed."

Andy smiled innocently. "Slight change in plans."

"But I agreed to a shower."

"And I promised to wash your back and legs. This," he dropped the plug in place and shook the excess water from his hand, "is better suited for my plans." He rose from the tub and slowly stalked towards her, stopping just in front of her. He gave the gown she still hugged tightly to her chest a tug. "Don't make me renege on my promise."

"We wouldn't want that now, would we?" Despite her agreeing words, Sharon still held tightly to her night dress.

"Nope," he said with an exaggerated 'puh' sound and gave the material another gentle yank.

"Okay, then," Sharon finally relinquished her hold on her nightgown, "a bath it is." She reached behind her to shut the door.

"Nuh-uh-uh-uh!" Andy caught ahold of the door before it could fully close, "that will not be necessary." His eyebrows bobbed playfully. "It's just you and me, remember?"

Sharon looked past him and noticed that he had pushed the other door leading to their room wide open. It seemed he was intent on taking advantage of all of their new found freedoms all at once. She rolled her eyes and sighed in a way that told him he was being ridiculous. The affectionate smile she gave him, however, contradicted her feigned exasperation.

"How could I forget?" She made a show of pushing the door fully open again and gave Andy a 'happy now?' look.

His ridiculously large grin said he was.

"Now," Andy hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her panties at each of her hips, "let's get you fully naked."

Other than the slight change in location, Andy was surprisingly true to the rest of his word and had mostly behaved during their bath. His promise to wash her back turned out to be a continuation of the massage he had briefly teased her with in the kitchen. With an ample lather of body wash, his hands easily glided over her skin and his fingers dug into her muscles in all the right places. It was truly marvelous. By the time he reached her legs (where he spent twice as long as on her back, also true to his word), her body was limp like a noodle. Although she did not let him in on the thought, she agreed the tub was a far more suitable location and she was so very glad he had chosen it instead. He had been doting on her all morning and she hadn't done much to return the favor. She would have to rectify that in some way and some time soon, but not immediately.

Once they exited the tub, Andy pleaded with her several times to let him assist in applying her lotion, but she was unwilling to relent, claiming they had wasted enough time. He reluctantly left her in the bathroom alone so that he could start getting dressed.

"I was thinking," Sharon spoke loudly enough for her voice to carry to their bedroom, "it's a bit more of a drive, but we should go to the good market that we like with the better produce selection." She rubbed in the last bit of lotion into her arm and waited for a response, but not receiving one she continued on. "By the time we get out of here and on that side of town, it will almost be lunch time, so maybe we could grab a bite to eat from that cafe you like so much?" She was once again met with silence. "Andy?"

When she yet again received no response, she secured a towel around herself and walked into their bedroom to find it empty. Checking the closet and finding it unoccupied as well, she proceeded out the room and down the hall. She found him standing in the middle of the living room with his hands braced on his hips looking utterly confused, once again in just his boxers, but this pair was a solid light green.

Curious as to what he was doing, she stayed partially out of sight and leaned against the wall just at the room's opening. He was pivoting in half circles and muttering to himself as he scanned the room, apparently looking for something. It wasn't until he made a complete revolution that he caught her watching and a bright smile replaced his previous perplexed frown.

Sharon pushed herself off the wall to fully enter the room and came to a stop just behind the couch opposite of where he was standing on the other side. Her gaze dropped pointedly to his single article of clothing. "If that's what you intend to wear out and about, then I really will have objections."

"Huh?" Andy's own gaze followed Sharon's and he seemed to remember only just then that he was half naked. "Oh," he looked up and waggled his eyebrows at her, "this look is reserved especially for you."

"I'm happy to hear that, but…" Sharon didn't finish her thought, simply turned her head slightly to the side in that way that said she was waiting for an answer.

"Oh," Andy said again, realizing what she was silently asking. "I walked in here to grab something, but once I got here," he chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I completely forgot what it was for. I thought looking around might help, but," he shrugged sheepishly and looked back down to his boxers. "Clothes!" he suddenly shouted then dove towards the couch, barely missing the leg of the coffee table along the way, and began searching between the cushions.

"You're hiding clothes in the couch now?" Sharon asked, confused, not understanding the connection. "Our closet isn't _that_ tiny."

Andy paused in his search long enough to give Sharon a look that said, 'Don't be ridiculous' before continuing on to the next cushion. "I think I got it," his voice was strained as he leaned in further, his face almost being planted into the back of the couch.

He straightened once again and smiled, victorious, as he held out his phone. He remembered it sliding off his lap the previous night, but was too tired to hunt for it when they decided to shut off the TV and head to bed. He wasn't too concerned about missing a call because if anyone really needed to reach them, Sharon had hers or they could call the condo.

He frowned at the screen when he hit the home button and it lit up. "I need to charge it."

"You're gonna need pockets to put it in when we eventually leave," Sharon said in a sing-song voice, once again reminding him they had places to be and both of them needed to get dressed.

Andy leveled her with another unimpressed stare before ultimately returning her smile. "I wanted to check the weather since it's been oddly chilly the last couple of days before I picked out my clothes. Normally I'd just have the kid look for me, but he's not here."

"Don't tell me you're suddenly wishing he was back," Sharon cooed.

"I was gonna say maybe just a little," Andy admitted, albeit a bit reluctantly, "but if Rusty had witnessed my little moment just now," he continued to focus on the phone as he searched for his weather app, but one of his hands reached out and made a circular motion in reference to his previous wandering around the room, "I would never hear the end of it. The little comedian would've been making wise-cracks about my memory and age for the rest of the day."

"Hmm," Sharon gave a inconspicuous hum. It was true, she had done the same thing on more than one occasion and when Rusty happened to be present, he always had a comment or two about the perils of getting old. However, rather than commiserate with him about Rusty's merciless sense of humor, she decided to focus on Andy's extremely obvious elation that he was no longer residing with them. Careful not to convey any emotion in her voice or on her face, she added, "I'm beginning to think you were miserable living here with my son."

"What?" Andy's head snapped up, his eyes wide in fear. "No, no, that's not what I'm saying. I didn't realize how horrible it all sounded." The suddenly appalled expression on his face suggested it had just sunk in. "I'm just excited about…I'm simply enjoying," he fumbled for the right words, "it's like we've reached a whole new milestone, you know, the empty nest. Even though technically I wasn't stuck with Rusty for the last twenty-three years, well I guess you weren't either," his face twisted into a grimace when he realized exactly what he had said, "and I don't mean _stuck_ because that sounds horrible, too. Oh, God, I'm not saying anything right." He finally looked st Sharon and noticed she had three fingers pressed against her mouth, stifling her giggles, and he realized that she was just teasing him all along. The tension in his body left on a huge exhale as he walked around the room to join her on the other side of the couch. He grabbed one of her wrists and tugged her closer so he could loosely wrap his arms around her waist. "I'm just excited about having a little more freedom to be us here at home."

"I know, honey." She wrapped her own arms around his middle and rested her head on his chest, just underneath his chin. "Me, too."

"Yeah?" Andy asked hesitantly, still afraid she might be misunderstanding him or that he had been a little too over the top.

Sharon just nodded, and even though she couldn't see it, the tightening of his embrace told her he got the message. Truth be told, Sharon was just as exhilarated about their new empty nest status as Andy, but like many other times in their relationship, she was simply more subdued about expressing her excitement.

Although she had experienced a childless home once before for a few years before Rusty came along, this time was so much different. This time she had Andy. Previously, she only delighted in the small things—not having to negotiate what TV show she would watch, or that she wouldn't be tripping over Ricky's shoes because he haphazardly kicked them off at the front door and didn't stow them away properly, or coming home to find the kitchen sink filled with dirty dishes from the numerous snacks and meals the kids had eaten throughout the day, but didn't bother cleaning up.

Now… Well, now she could walk around the condo in her thin nightgown (or without one altogether if it was removed from her body for her) and not worry about scarring her teenage son because she wasn't wearing a bra. She could shamelessly make out with her husband against the dining table without concern someone would walk in on them and remind them they were too old to be behaving in such a way. They could take a shower or bath together without coordinating it around a time they knew they would be home alone. They could leave the doors wide open because there was no one on the other side to possibly overhear whatever it was they were doing.

Granted, she would still occasionally have to negotiate what would be watched on the television, but she didn't have to worry about tripping over Andy's shoes at the front door or dirty dishes being left in the sink because he was just as meticulous about cleaning up after himself as she was. But best of all, he was simply present. Furthermore, he genuinely enjoyed her company and wanted to share his time with her. It was such a novel experience and one she looked forward to savoring time and time again.

"I've been here before," Sharon said softly, deciding to let Andy in on some of her inner musings, "but it's different this time."

Andy stilled the slight sway of their bodies they always naturally found themselves in when they held one another for an extended time. "In a good way I hope."

Sharon lifted her head from its place of rest and leaned back so that she could look Andy directly in the reached up to cup his face with one hand. "Definitely." Her thumb gently stroked his cheekbone and she gave him a watery smile. "It's so very much better this time around."

Andy reached up and released the clip that was still holding up her hair from their bath. He tossed the clip onto the couch, then thread his fingers through the now free locks at the back of her head and held her in place. His lips caressed hers ever so lightly, it was barely a kiss. He repeated the action twice more. It wasn't until the hand that was now gripping his shoulder tightened so that her nails dug into his skin and she made a noise that likened to an impatient grunt that he finally gave into both of their desires. It was a long kiss. Slow and deep, conveying more emotion than most words, but that didn't stop him from whispering a quiet, "I love you," against her mouth when the kiss eventually ended.

He gave her one more kiss, but much briefer, before nudging her in the direction of their room. "Let's go finish getting ready."

When they re-entered the room, Andy first went into the closet and Sharon to their chest of drawers to find undergarments. She joined him when she had them selected and on her body; he had yet to put on anything else besides his boxers, and it looked like he was lost in thought rather than picking out an outfit.

"Is it supposed to be a little chilly again?" Sharon asked from the doorway, hoping to prod him into motion, but also wanting to know so that she could narrow down her own choices.

Andy absentmindedly hummed in the affirmative. "Speaking of not so tiny closets," he suddenly recalled her earlier remark as he glanced around theirs and noted not for the first time that it really was jam-packed, "do you think Rusty would mind if I moved some of the stuff I don't wear that often into his?" He tried separating two of the hangers to get a good look at the front of one of his shirts, but it only budged maybe half an inch. "It would be nice to have a little more room in here."

He had his back to her, so she walked up and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She stood on her tiptoes, resting her chin on his shoulder, and spoke directly into his ear. "I'm sure he would have some sarcastic remark about how you couldn't wait for him to move out so you could take over his room."

"Yeah," Andy chuckled, thinking about how that sounded like almost every child after they finally left home. "So then," he turned his head and rubbed his nose against hers playfully, "I should start moving things right away, that way I don't disappoint him."

Sharon muffled her laugh by tucking her face into Andy's shoulder. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were glittering playfully. "Absolutely." She applied pressure to one of his hips, indicating for him to turn around in her embrace. Propping her chin against his chest, she looked up at him through her lashes. "You take half. I'll also go through my things and move some stuff in there, too."

She had once stored some of her ex-husbands clothes in that closet—it was a perfect real life metaphor for what their marriage had deteriorated down to in the end. He was in her life, but only partially and at a distance. Mostly out of sight and out of mind until being stumbled upon once in a blue moon. Sharon didn't want that to be the case with Andy. She wanted to continue sharing everything equally, for him to be present and welcome in all aspects of her life, especially in their home. She didn't want it to seem that she was casting any part of him off to the side to be forgotten.

"Deal," he paused for effect before adding with a cheeky grin, "but only if I get the bigger half this time."

"A half means it's two equal parts, Andrew." Sharon crossed her arms, but since she was wearing only her bra and panties, rather than achieving the intimidated pose she strived for, the position simply managed to draw Andy's attention to her lace covered chest. She dropped her hands to her side at once, and the coolness in her tone intensified. "There's no bigger or smaller _half_."

Andy intentionally ogled her breasts for a moment longer before once again looking her in the eye. "Tell that to this closet." He made a show of looking at the side of the closet that was hers before narrowing his eyes on the small section of his side that held more of her clothes.

She pinched his side, and when he squirmed, she did it again.

"Ow! I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" He was laughing rather boisterously and it rendered his next words moot. "There's no need to abuse me."

Andy attempted to hug her again, but she rebuffed him with a playful shove to his chest. "Get dressed already!" She tried glaring at him, but failed miserably because she couldn't resist responding in kind to his goofy grin.

"You, too." He turned her around by the shoulders and gave her behind a playful swat, knowing she would retaliate for the action when he least suspected it.

They managed to finish getting ready without further delays or incidents this time. Due to her needing to apply her makeup and fix her hair, Andy was ready a good fifteen minutes before she was. Nonetheless, he wisely kept his mouth shut and simply waited for her in the living room.

The TV was turned on, but he wasn't paying it any mind. Instead he was playing with the clip he had discarded on the couch, repeatedly opening and closing it over one of his digits so that the the teeth bit into the skin until he released the tension again. The softly scuffling noise of her boots against the hardwood floor drew his attention and he once again tossed the hair clip away.

Andy's head dropped over the back of the couch so he could watch her as she walked toward him. "Hey."

Sharon drew up short at the seriousness of his tone and expression, she could tell he had something on his mind that he wanted to share. Closing the remaining distance between them, she smoothed out the wrinkle that formed on his brow and smiled down at him encouragingly. "Hmm?"

Andy caught her hand before it could fall away and placed a kiss to her palm, then continued to hold it as he spoke. "Do you think when we get back from running our errands," he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as though he was gathering courage to finish his thought, prompting Sharon to give his hand a supportive squeeze, "we should fool around on the couch just for the hell of it?"

Due to the discordance between his somber act and his actual words, it took a moment for Sharon to process he was being silly again. She knew when he realized it had clicked in her mind because he was suddenly grinning like an idiot and trying to pull her down by the hand he still held.

"Oh," Sharon wrenched her hand out of his grip and gave his ridiculous, smiling face a light-hearted shove, "you!"

Despite her exasperation, she found herself joining him in his joyous laughter, and this time when he reached for her, she let him draw her into an embrace and responded to his kiss with equal fervor. She was certain that by the end of the day, Andy will have discovered and shared with her all the other numerous and delightful little ways their relationship had been freed from limitations of having a child around. She was looking forward to imparting some of her own revelations with him later that she was sure he would enjoy.

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A/N: I would love to know what you think! Reviews are always appreciated :)


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